the incredibly simple, cheap, sturdy friction heater.

[ATT]

Mineral oil infused with fine wood ash may also be useful.

Might be, it's hard to guess. I've seen hydrolic fluid, motor oil and water all mentioned in connection with this device. It'll probably take trial and error to see if one works better than another.

[Foggy-Notion]

Hey I found the specs on the Wallmart wastebaskets, they're no bigger than any other, they are bathroom size, 11" high which they fail to mention in big bold type, and only sell it through their online store, not in their walk-in stores, so in that case i found one for half their price at Bed, Bath & Beyond.
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=15056711

It can't be much smaller than the 11" Wallmart one.

Another concern is the shape, though it allows ease of assembly, when I give it more thought, that shape will also send any turbulance upward in the form of slop over, easier than vertical pipe, if one of the trash cans is not perfectly round. But, a catch pan and few other trick will no doubt help deal with it as well as prevent it.

[ATT]

Hey I found the specs on the Wallmart wastebaskets, they're no bigger than any other, they are bathroom size, 11" high which they fail to mention in big bold type

Right...look in the upper left of that drawing I posted, I copied the specs from their web-page, that's how I knew how big to make it in CAD.

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=15056711

Be nice if they'd give some dimensions, huh?

...if one of the trash cans is not perfectly round. But, a catch pan and few other trick will no doubt help deal with it as well as prevent it.

You can bring it into round with an insert, the wrapper will conform exactly to the shape of the insert.

Set your dividers or trammels to less than the radius of the top, mark a point on your material for the center (1/8" hole will work), swing your dividers from the mark and cut out the round.

Mark a line around the inside of the basket, make a gauge you can drag along the top-rim and score a mark on the inside (you need this reference to make sure your insert sits 'level' with respect to the wrapper).

If it wasn't round before, it will be after you install the insert.

But...before you install it, it'd be a good idea to spin-balance the insert (that's why you drilled-out that center-mark).

You kinda have to do this anyway if you're planning on a shaft, you're gonna need two points on the rotator to connect the shaft to.

[Foggy-Notion]

Oh, so you did (can specs in drawing)
Well I was looking at your dimples.
er? that's, ..nevermind.